Bystander Out Six To 10 Weeks

Auto Racing Briefs

Buck Reuss was operated on Monday in Richmond to repair his right elbow, broken Saturday night when the car driven by Danny Baker hit him in the Langley Raceway pit area.

Baker bounced into Reuss after ramming the back of Shawn Balluzzo 's car at the entrance to pit road. Baker was upset that he and Balluzzo had tangled while battling the leaders for the checkered flag in the Late Model 100.

Reuss, a 26-year-old commercial artist from Richmond working in the pits Saturday night, likely will miss six to 10 weeks of work.

``The doctors said they'd do everything they can to get him right,'' said Langley scorer Joyce Fox , Reuss' grandmother. ``The worst part is that Buck is right-handed.''

Several Langley fans and competitors say they are planning to write NASCAR asking that Baker be suspended forever.

GAITA'S DEBUT. The rundown showed Henry Benfield seventh in Wednesday night's Sportsman 100 near Charlotte, but it was York County native Joe Gaita .

Benfield planned to drive one car and put Gaita in another, but stepped aside when Gaita's car broke during practice. Nobody told officials, who thought Benfield was in his No. 11 car.

Benfield and Gaita hope to run as teammates in Saturday morning's 100-miler.

Former NASCAR champion and popular ESPN commentator Benny Parsons will be there as host for ``NASCAR Night.'' Racing souvenirs will be given away, including a trip for two to the season-ending Hooters 500 on Nov. 13 at the Atlanta Motor Speedway.

WILL'S YEAR. Nobody can deny that Will Hobgood deserved to be this year's Goody's Dash champion. He won more poles (five) than anyone else, was tied with two other drivers with the most victories (four), with two others with 11 top-fives, had more top-10 finishes (15) than anyone else and won a season-high $25,390.

Larry Caudill (who won the July race at Langley) was second.

SPENCER'S DEAL. The expected became official Wednesday when Jimmy Spencer moved from the Junior Johnson -owned No. 27 car to the Travis Carter -owned No. 23 for next year. The move is mostly on paper, since Johnson is involved with Carter's team.

It'll be interesting to see how the numbers work. Johnson's No. 27 and No. 11 teams might be on the Winner's Circle plan next year. But if No. 11 - to be vacated by Bill Elliott - doesn't qualify, look for Brett Bodine to get No. 27 while an unhappy Spencer gets No. 23.

QUICK LAPS. Budweiser's new deal with Ken Schrader and owner Rick Hendrick is for two years, with an option year. . . . Dale Earnhardt needs to finish only 10th the final four races to win his seventh NASCAR championship. . . . Jeff Burton 's lead in the rookie standings has dipped to 12 over Joe Nemechek and 14 over Steve Grissom.